Family
by Lakshimbai
Summary: Oneshot. Ever wonder how Horatio managed to arrange a private jet and new life in Brazil so quickly at the end of 107? My take on the answer. Crossover with Proof of Life.


Disclaimer: None of the characters below belong to me. Horatio and Miami belong to Jerry Bruickheimer and CBS, Dino and Terry belong to... I'm not sure, but certainly not me.

A/N: This occurred to me after watching 10/7 the other week. How did Horatio arrange everything so quickly, especially as he was dealing with trying to stop the bomb, save Ray Jr, find Raymond and everything else? Obvioulsy, he had help. So, that thought combined with a minor obsession over Proof of Life, and resulted in this.

For those of you who haven't seen PoL, it's a great film (apart from Meg Ryan) about the kidnap and ransom industry. The main character is Terry Thorne, played by Russell Crowe, whose best friend is another expert negotiator called Dino, played by David Caruso. Dino is ex-special forces, cocky, womanising, and an adrenaline junkie. All in all, a fun character. At the end of the film, the two friends agree to set up a business together and meet every month in Grand Cayman, to visit their money, hence the other setting. I just thought it would be fun to play around with this idea, and the result might not be brilliant, but it kept me amused. Final thought: Dino in the film swears as often as he breathes, so imagine the air turning blue fairly regularly around him. Not going to happen in this fic though, as I don't swear too often, (barring unexpected disasters) so my imagination is fairly limited on that score.

Whew, after all that, time to get on with the fic...

* * *

The sound of the ocean had always soothed Horatio's soul before. Now, it sounded ominous, a reminder of time ticking away. Of time running out. For him, for Raymond, for Ray Jr. Something had to be done, he thought desperately, there must be something that could be done. Having got his brother back from the dead, Horatio was not prepared to countenance the idea of losing him again. Not to the Feds, not to the Colombians, not to anyone. And he still had to tell Yelina. 

Groaning, he buried his head in his hands. It was up to him to sort this mess out. It was always up to him to sort Raymond's messes out, but this one beat all. All the scrapes they had got into as kids (well, that Raymond had got into, and Horatio had got him out of), even the whole mess with Madison, nothing came close to this one. This time Ray had outdone himself. And, as always, it would be up to big brother to sort it out. What was it Suzie had said? _"Your little brother sure knew how to screw things up, didn't he?"_ All too true.

Family – that was the problem. Horatio would put himself through seven types of hell for his family and he simply couldn't abandon them. Ever. Whatever Ray had done, whatever Ray would do, Horatio would always be there. He was family, simple as that.

Family. Horatio's head jerked up as he thought. Family was the problem, but it might also be the answer. At least it would be someone else to share the problem with. He smiled for the first time in what felt like weeks as he pulled out his cell and dialled.

* * *

Dino could barely make out the sound of his cell phone's ringtone over the loud music. He was sitting in a bar on Grand Cayman, waiting for his friend and business partner Terry Thorne to return with another round of drinks. He frowned when he saw the caller ID. What the hell could Horatio want? 

"Yeah?" he answered the phone curtly.

"Dino?"

"That's me H."

"We have a problem. Are you free to talk?" And now Dino was worried. Horatio never sounded in over his head yet now he sounded… scared. Christ, Dino had known men in Delta Force who scared easier than Horatio Caine.

When Terry came back holding two more beers, Dino wandered off down the beach. "Go on, what's such a big deal that supercop can't deal with it?" If anything, the worry he felt was going to make him more flippant than usual.

"Raymond." Horatio said it as though it explained everything.

"Ray Jr?"

"No Dino. Raymond. My little brother. It turns out he's not dead."

Dino snorted with laughter and said in a very passable imitation of Terry's Australian accent, "Pull the other one mate, it's got bells on!"

"I'm not kidding around Dino." Horatio sounded tired and scared. Dino started to believe him.

"Tell me everything," he ordered. Horatio sighed heavily – Dino could almost see the expression that would be on the other man's face – before he started to explain. Dino could feel his mouth dropping open with astonishment as Horatio talked. Terrorists, drug dealers, the Feds – what the hell had Ray been drinking when he got himself involved in this? More to the point, what had he been snorting? Horatio's voice tailed off. Dino had never heard the man sound so uncertain.

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"That's all of it?" Dino asked incredulously. When Horatio again said yes, Dino couldn't help himself and started swearing. After a full five minutes – in both Spanish and English – Dino felt slightly calmer.

"Are you quite finished?" Horatio asked acidly.

"Yeah I'm done. For now. So what do you want me to do?"

"We need to get Raymond, Yelina and Ray Jr out of the country, away from the Feds and the terrorists. You're the one who always claims to have people working for him in every major city in South America. I was hoping you would have some ideas."

"Let me get this straight. You want me to help you – a cop – harbour a fugitive from the Feds by hiding him somewhere in South America? Isn't that a little unethical for Saint H?" Dino grinned: the idea of Horatio Caine breaking every rule in the book was just too funny.

"Yes." In that one word, the grin was wiped from Dino's face. He'd have time to tease Horatio later. He'd only ever heard the man sound this defeated once before – when Ray had 'died'. "I know it's a lot to ask Dino, but this is family."

"How long do I have?" Dino asked simply and was rewarded by a heartfelt sigh of relief from Horatio.

"Not long."

"Give me four hours," Dino promised, his mind already sifting through which favour to call in.

"Thanks Dino. I appreciate it."

"Like you said H, this is family." Dino went back to his table a very thoughtful man.

"What's up mate?" Terry asked, instantly concerned. Dino hid his intelligence behind a flippant, sarcastic mask, so to see the redhead frowning in concentration was unusual to say the least.

"Nothing really. My cousin needs a favour."

"Didn't know you had one."

"He's a cop in Miami. We spent a lot of time together when we were kids."

"In Miami?"

"In New York," Dino corrected. "Him and his little brother came to live with us when their mom was killed. My mom was devastated by her sister's murder, and wouldn't hear of any other solution except Horatio and Ray moving in with us." Dino looked away and smiled. "Horatio Caine is one of the smartest, best men I've ever known. And now, I have to make some phone calls," he said as he stood to leave, draining his beer.

Terry watched him go. Whoever Horatio Caine was, he'd like to meet him one day. Dino never, ever gave serious compliments, but Terry had never heard such utter sincerity in his friend's voice before.

* * *

It had taken Dino far less than his self-imposed deadline of four hours to achieve what he needed. Horatio felt weak with relief when Dino had called him back. Favours had been called in and a new life in Brazil was waiting. Now there was just the minor problem of explaining all this to Yelina…..

* * *

He watched the jet take off, watched it until he could no longer see it before he turned away. Rarely had he ever felt so alone. To lose his brother again so soon after discovering the truth was heartrendingly painful. There was no other option, though. That knowledge didn't make it any less painful however. 

Thank God for Dino. Horatio allowed himself a small smile as he thought of the other man. They were so similar in looks and yet so different in character. Where Dino was confident, exuberant and always the life and soul of every party, Horatio was quiet, reserved and happy to be in the background. Their differences hadn't prevented them becoming close friends as they grew up, helped by the similarity in age, especially when Horatio and Ray had moved to New York. Horatio had been the one family member Dino told when he was selected for Delta Force – the elite, covert best of the best in the US armed forces. Likewise, it was Dino who had encouraged Horatio to join the bomb squad. They rarely got a chance to talk or see each other these days though. Horatio missed that: Dino had been a damned good friend.

His thoughts were interrupted by his cell. "Hello?"

"Principal cargo safely on board?"

Horatio chuckled softly. "Yes. Thanks again Dino."

"Family is family," Dino said and Horatio could hear him shrug. There was a long pause. "How are you coping?" Dino sounded awkward, diffident almost, as he always did when it came to discussing anything like emotions.

"Not great," Horatio admitted with greater honesty that anyone else would have got.

"I'll be in Miami in two days," Dino said softly. For a split second, his tone matched that of his older cousin's exactly. "Let me sort out some business here, then I'll fly in. Then I think we both deserve a serious amount of alcohol."

Horatio nodded to himself. "I'll second that. I'm buying though."

"It's the least you can do," Dino laughed.

"Well, you are family."

* * *

In a bar in Grand Cayman, Dino lifted a beer to the stars before glancing over at his friend. "To family," he toasted, and Terry knew that, for once, Dino wasn't being ironic.

* * *

In a new apartment in Rio de Janeiro, Raymond Caine looked around at the haunted, confused eyes of his wife and child. A note had been left inside the apartment, addressed to him. It read: _Do not screw up this time. If you do though, we'll always bail you out. D and H._ Raymond hugged Yelina and Ray Jr tightly. 

"Thank God for family," he murmured.

* * *

Horatio stood on the beach he had been on earlier that day. Then, the waves had been threatening, dangerous even. Now, the endless sound of the ocean seemed to soothe him again. Whatever happened, whatever it took, he would always protect his family. It was just who he was. A family man. 


End file.
